Applying for Housing

How to apply

You CAN NOT apply for Rent Geared-to-Income housing through Housing Cambridge directly. Housing Cambridge charges two types of rental rates – some of our tenants pay market rent and other tenants pay subsidized rent [rent geared-to-income (RGI) and Below Average Market Rent (BAMR)]. The process to apply for housing is different for each type of rental rate.

Which type of renter are you?

Market Rent

Family and Senior Housing

To apply for a senior (59+) apartment or townhouse unit rented at full market value (Market Rent), you may apply through Housing Cambridge. You can download the application form (pdf) for Market Rent below.

Market rent

Approximately one-third of our units are Market Rent units. This means the tenants occupying these units pay rent that is based on our expected costs and similar rent levels for similar accommodation in the private market.

If you want to apply for a townhouse, please browse our current vacanciesand then contact Housing Cambridge through email or by calling 519-650-5599.

Subsidized rent

Within the Housing Cambridge portfolio, 70% of units are rented on a rent geared-to-income basis. Rent geared-to-income is fixed at a percentage of the tenants’ household income, usually around 30 percent. Tenants pay less than they would in the private market. There is always a waiting list for rent geared-to-income units at Housing Cambridge.

Below Average Market Rent tenants pay a fixed rent (either 65% or 80% of average market rent) based on prescribed household income cut-offs. Tenants income must meet a certain income criteria in order to qualify. Please contact the office for further information at 519-650-5599.

How to apply for rent geared-to-income apartments or townhomes

If you want to pay rent geared-to-income you must apply directly to the Region of Waterloo’s Community Housing Access Centre (CHAC). A copy of the application form can be downloaded in PDF format by clicking above. The CHAC is the centralized waiting list for all rent geared-to-income housing in the Region of Waterloo, you must contact them for more information. To download a list of all CHAC offices where you can drop off your application, click here.